Monday, March 23, 2009

I know..you already want to read more just because of the title...haha

SO, last night Jessica and I were grilling out (as lesbian lovers do), and the neighbor to the left whom we are friends with is standing on his deck and talking to us over his fence. Think Home Improvement style, although we could see his face.

He looks at us and referring to the neighbors to the right, he says.."What is that they're building out there?" We said, "umm....not sure..." And then proceeded to yell at our neighbors to the right and ask.

It was the old man--not sure he is the father of the teenager, or what. But, anyway, he answers and says.."Well, he's (referring to the young kid) been buildin' these cat playgrounds and sellin' em at the flea market..$150 a pop...so now I'm helpin' him--he's been makin' a killin'."

Our mouths dropped. First off, who ON EARTH comes up with the idea to build a cat playground, and second, who ON EARTH pays $150 for one??!!!! I mean seriously!!!!!

It was hysterical. Had to share. They're still out there...carpet everywhere, wood everywhere...

Guess the cat playground industry is recession proof. I think I'm gonna have to take pictures and post them. It is the weirdest thing ever. Oh, and the kid must be on Spring Break or something, cause he was out there by noon today. Maybe they're making him pay bills or something.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

I feel like my blog is a child I have abandoned or something. I need to come back to it and nurture it and nurture my desire to write and get my feelings and thoughts out on...well...a blog.

I just re-read my last posting and I guess not much has changed. Well, I take that back. A lot has changed but not a lot that can be shared. Life is so weird. I can't reiterate that enough. It's funny how you think you have some things figured out and then everything you thought and felt goes to hell in a hand basket.

I am quickly realizing that my life is in shambles and I have to get my shit straight. Just a quick overview of the last year:

Met some very interesting people that led to some very interesting and unexpected relationships. (sorry, people...can't elaborate more than that..you can read the book one day)

Sold my house and moved all belongings into storage

My step mom passes away

I move home to be with my dad and to save some money--all in hopes of fulfilling the urge and desire for an adventure and life changing experience of living in another country.

I move to Spain and encounter the Spanish/Polish/Catalan family whose accents still haunt me.

I last 3 weeks...'nough said--you all know the story.

I move back to Nashville with all belongings STILL in storage and poor Lily in tow.

Here I am...still have no job, and no fulfillment and my life feels like the hamster on the wheel. I honestly don't know what I would do without friends.

I know for a fact God has a sense of humor and has tested me beyond my wildest dreams...or wildest nightmares is more fitting actually.. Am I asking too much?

Dear God,

I would like a job that spurs my creativity, a man who loves me (and you, God) more than anything else in the world, preferably with an accent (they just do it for me..can't explain it), a house with a large kitchen and windows above the sink, 3 or 4 kids, a vacation at least once a year, a bottle of wine, a good steak every now and then, and a babysitter.

I mean, just between you and me, God, I'd take any of the above. Well, I guess you can't have some of these things without others--they kinda go hand in hand in your book--but whatever.

And please note: I'd even take a boyfriend right now...we can work our way up to husband material. I am perfectly fine with that.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Well, there are lots of factors leading me back to my blog which I will keep to myself. Life is funny and sometimes I feel like I am having an out of body experience. One day, one day...

I am totally stressed out. I have no job and am quickly running out of money. I feel completely overwhelmed and am struggling to find something fulfilling. And I know there are millions of people who go to work everyday and are not fulfilled. Obviously, I am not going to resort to getting food stamps and goverment aid while "searching" for that one special job.

But, I am kind of at a fork in the road of life and have the opportunity to be creative with where I choose to go, and in an economy such as this, I think success will be only be found if we are enjoying what we are doing and can be self sustained.

I am seriously contemplating writing a book. I have had lots of experiences and I feel like many young women could learn, or at least be slightly entertained by my single life, financial struggle, different relationships and people I have met along the way, and struggle to be that person you want to be, and how the heck you are supposed to get there. That part I obviously haven't figured out.

Now, don't all roll your eyes at me and think that I live in some la-la land where I would think that I don't need to work and can hole up in some Starbucks somwhere cracked out on over-caffeinated coffee typing away on my Mac, while living some pipe dream that I am gonna be the next Emily Giffin (who I am actually completely obsessed with).

I WILL be doing that--just under different circumstances-- at home, at a desk, and with much cheaper coffee in hand...and at night, AFTER work.

In closing, I would like to say that after a depressing few days, I have decided to go out with two of my favorite guys in all the land, tonight. I need a good laugh and some male reassurance of how cool and beautiful I am...and they do it everytime--you need that every now and then.

One of them who will not be named...wait, actually I think he wanted me to name him...Dylan, just emailed me and begged me to come tonight, and said..and I quote:

"you're laugh is like going from 1st to 5th gear in a sports car. When you hit 5th, there's no turning back."

Which of course, made me die out laughing unexpectedly in the middle of Panera and garner many stares. Whatever people....it was funny.

So, I will be emptying my jar of quarters beside my bed to join the boys for the evening, and grace them with the presence of myself and my laugh...and yes, I am VERY glad to be back. Back to the blog, and back from that hell hole they call Spain.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I am sitting at Panera in Greensboro, NC right now totally exhausted. I finally landed at about 8:30 last night and after eating and driving back to my mom's, made it at about midnight. I only slept till 8, and I can tell that it was definitely not enough. I think I was up for about a day and a half straight through the journey.

Well, Bo was not accurate on the chickend on the Air India flight, but he was definitely accurate about the sub par flight crew, plane, and massive amount of Indian people. I have never had a panic attack--until yesterday. I was a breath away from walking off the plane and going to BEG the British Airways personnel to get me on something, US bound.

It was the largest plane I have ever seen in my life--double decker thing...and larger plane=larger amounts of Indians. Unbelievable. The crew wore Indian garb, and every single person besides me and about 3 other people, of the 400 on the plane, were full on Indian. I am not talking like my friend Santosh Indian--I am talking...didn't speak English and had the dots on the forehead and all dressed in "garb"--the smell was overwhelming and the food was horrendous.

I don't even know what else to say. It was unbelievably uncomfortable and I have never been so excited to get off a plane in my life.

Then I had a 2 hour layover in Newark, NJ and with a snow storm looming, they told me that there was a chance I was going to get stuck there. At that point, I just said...whatever. I did make it though and my mom and Granny were waiting on me waving little American flags..it was so cute and I was so happy to see them both.

Now I must hit the ground running and find a job...life is a learning process, right??!!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Well, lots to tell. It is now 11:45 PM and I have a bus to catch at 5:40 AM...yeah, you do the math. WOW. I am going to give a quick recap of what I have been dealing with in the past 24 hours, so the next time you watch Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (as notated above..) you will think of me and chuckle.

I originally booked a flight on a discount airline to London. It was an afternoon flight, and the international flights all leave in the afternoon, so I was FORCED to stay in London. One arrived into Gatwick, and the net day I flew out of Heathrow, so I was going to wake up and take a bus to Heathrow to board my flight to the US.

Well, then I read the restrictions online about excess baggage and after hours (literally) of converting kilograms to pounds, euros to dollars, and British pounds to dollars...I realized that the $65 flight to London would cost me an additional---drum roll please....$649.00 for my luggage.

Yeah, I know...

So, I began hunting for other flights. Well, it seems all discount airlines have these policies pretty much, and they are the only ones flying out of Girona that I could find. So I then realized on British Airways I would only pay $85 for luggage charges. So, then I thought...well, they don't fly out of Girona...only Barcelona!

So, catching a bus in the morning to Barcelona, getting on a British Airways flight, arriving now into Heathrow--had to cancel the room at Gatwick--and departing out of Heathrow on Tuesday.

And if you think that's bad....I booked the first British Airways flight on my mom's AMEX. Got a confirmation email and everything. 24 hours later they decide to send me an email (this morning) that it was not processed because of suspicious activity.

So then I had to find another flight and use my credit card to pay for it. Which I also had to do with the bus ticket that I bought online tonight. Then I coe upstairs and check my email and I have an email from bank of America saying that MY card is being cut off because of suspicious activity. I try to log on to verify that it is me, and they ask me questions like--what is the 2nd cousin's name of your 1st grade teacher?

So I email my mom in a total panic and we Skype and call Bank of America and I spoke to them over Skype and verified myself and ALL IS WELL.

DEAR GOD.

My bags are in the car, I have two hands, and 3 enormous 50 lb. bags and SOMEHOW I have to make it to the United States of fucking America. (excuse my french)

Wish me luck...and in the words of Ozzy Osbourne,

"mama, I'm comin' home..."

I will write a more upbeat happy post tomorrow once I get to my first of many destinations!!!

And I am still laughing my way through this journey...cannot WAIT to see you all.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Today we worked until about 2PM and then Ursula's friend, Natalia came over and we all drove to Besalu, a small mideival (why can I NOT spell that word??) village called Besalu about 30 minutes away.

It was beautiful. Kind of like you hopped into the story of Rapunzel or something...a little creepy, but beautiful. And Natalia is single and 40 and hilarious. She is very "free" and adventurous and had lots of men stories to share with us. She was really funny.

Anyway, my flight is booked and I will be on U.S. soil in less than a week. I get in next Tuesday night about 8:30 on Air India...Bo has put money on the fact that there will be chickens on my flight. I am a little worried--not gonna lie.

I cannot wait, but I have such a remorseful feeling about all that has happened and how I got to this point. It is all so strange. I have learned that sometimes, I make poor decisions. Bottom line. I wish that I had really thought about all of this and the effect the choices I make, have on others around me. I am ashamed, and it is not a good feeling to have. I apologize and will do everything to make my next transition as smooth as possible...and then I am going to become a recluse and talk to no one...haha

I am quickly learning also that Albert is majorly deprived of attention from his parents. They do not "play" with him. Gloria just left and I walked downstairs after taking my shower--she said to ursula, who was in her office, that she was leaving..then Ursula turned to me and said..can you watch him for about 30 minutes? I said--SURE.

Mind you, this was at 8:30 and he got home from school at 6. So of the 3 hours or whatever she has with him at night, she tries to sneak off and work, rather than give him attention. So he cries and bangs on the office door and jerks the handle, and screams.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Work was okay today..I woke up and ate breakfast and got down there about 9:25. I had finished the last task Ursula had given me, so when she came in I asked her what else she needed me to work on. She said, well, have you decided what you're doing (ie, leaving or not) and I said--oh, yes, I am so sorry, but I have decided to go. I am really sorry but it is just not working out.

So she says fine and asks when-I say, I think the beginning of next week, but I am not sure, and my mom is looking at flights, etc..so she looks very disappointed and gives me a smaller task to do, that I will have time to actually finish.

Anyway, at least that's over with...dear god...I had been dreading it all weekend.

She did kind of say to me later that she didn't understand, etc. And I said "Ursula you have to understand that this is not for everyone!" She acted as if someone would be mentally insane to not want to live there and do what I was doing. I said, you know, I thought this was what I wanted, but it's not!

God. Bless. America. I want to run through the streets of Nashville in a cowboy hat, boots, and an American flag Budweiser string bikini singing Lee Greenwood at the top of my lungs. And then drink a Budweiser. With some redneck that came in town from the outskirts. That is what I want to do.

Okay, this is the moment you have all been waiting for.....the infamous glass and marble museum!!!

This is obviously my bedroom and desk, where I am right this moment!

This is right when you walk into the bathroom, and shower is behind you.

This is the living room. I am standing in the dining room (pictured below) taking it. I have not seen anyone sit down in here since I have been here. It is the largest room in the house, and it is not used AT ALL...they don't EVER sit down in the living room. SO WEIRD.

Dining room...just plain weird. These pics actually make it look like there's a whole lot more color than there is. There is not.

The kitchen with the grill in the middle that literally is coals and a grate that is connected directly to a chimney. Notice on the counter....the slicer.....and ALL THE WHITE.

I must take a video of the juicer before I leave. It is unbelievable. This does not do it justice. The basket on top should be full of oranges and this thing goes to town.

This is when you walk in the front door. It is obviously sideways--the stairs go up on the left. And all that glass is an elevator that goes from the garage, to this floor, and then up to the bedrooms. In the middle of the house.

I am 28 years old, single, and want to live my life to its' fullest. I have lived in Nashville, Tennessee for the past 7 years. I will soon be working for a wine and culinary tour company called Gourmand Breaks in Girona, Spain. I love my friends and family and will of course miss everyone. But, I know this is what I need to do for me and am certain it will change my life forever. www.gourmandbreaks.com

why not?~single ~always wanted to live in Europe~always wanted to be bilingual~got a great job~the food~the wine~Spanish men~I totally have a thing for accents~the experience~what I will learn~and once again, why not?

Music is truly a part of me. I will change this regularly with new songs that inspire me. And don't fret...Spanish songs...coming soon...haha